Headlight and illuminated sign for street-cars or other purposes.



Patented Dec. 2, I902.

J. A. DUGGAN. HEADLIGHT AND ILLUMINATED SIGN-FUR STREET CARS OR OTHER PURPOSES.

(Application filed Oct. 9, 1901.)

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UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. DUGGAN, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEADLIGHT AND ILLUMINATED SIGN FOR STREET-CARS OR'OTHER PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 714,877, dated December 2, 1 902.

Application filed October 9, 1901 Serial No. 78,126- [No mcr'mly To all whom, it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JOHN A. DUGGAN, of Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlights and Illuminated Signs for Street-Cars or other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to headlights or dasher-lights used upon street-cars, but may also be advantageously used on locomotives, steam-trains, or any motor or vehicle upon which it is desired to denote the destination or route or give other information during day or night by signal or letters or by both. It may also be used anywhere for general advertising purposes, and it consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the accompanying drawings and to the claims hereto appended and in which my invention is clearly pointed out.

I am aware that illuminated signs, so called, have been used on cars and elsewhere; and consist, generally, of an ordinary reflector throwing light directly from the light to the illuminated object. This form ofilluminated sign, particularly when used upon cars, requires special lights and, when electricity is used, extra wires, switches, and oftentimes lamps of special design, making the cost of providing and maintaining the same very expensive.

The object of my invention is to attain the desired result by'utilizing to a very large extent the lights and other fixtures now commonly used,without, however, in any way detracting from the efficiency of their intended purposes, as will appear by the mechanism illustrated in the drawings.

Figurel is a vertical section through the headlight and dashboard of a car. Fig. 2 is a front View of a headlight and center portion of a dashboard.

In the drawings different parts of both figures are represented by correspondingletters.

Letter 0 is the usual dashboard or support for sustaining the headlight.

E is a headlight, which may be of any desired construction. a

L is a ring on outeredge of headlight-case.

F is a reflector, arranged in usual form to throw the rays of light forward.

G is an electric light, but may be of any light preferred.

0 and D are also reflectors, preferably in circular form, so constructed as to permit the central rays of light from the headlight to pass through and forward in the usual manner, thus not interfering with the practical purposes of the light as heretofore used.

A and B are signs or plates, which may be portable, properly supported and encircling the headlight.

The reflectors O and D and signs A and B are supported by the arms or brackets Q, forming part of the ring L, to which are attached the arms K.

The arms K and brackets have attached thereto the reflectors O and D.

The arms K and bracket L are provided with slots and clamping-screws, which permit the reflectors O and D, attached to the arms K, to be adjusted to the distance and angle desired from the headlight E.

N is a shield and reflector that may be attached to the sign-plate or supporting-ring and is for the purpose of protecting the eyes of the driver or operator from any upwarddirected rays of light and reflects the same upon the signs A and B.

To obtain the best results, it is desirable that a strong light be reflected upon the face of the signs, that preferably consists of White letters on a dark ground. This is accomplished by making the reflecting plate or disk of the proper shape and material, and it is important that its face be placed at the proper angle and distance from the headlight, the object being to divert all the intercepted rays of light upon the signs and nowhere else.

Letter H represents lenses or bulls-eyes of glass in suitable supports so placed that rays of light from the reflector F will pass through. These lenses may be made to show difierent colors by placing colored glass over the flat surface of the lenses, grooves for this purpose being provided on the supports referred to.

In order that different names or characters may be shown, the sign-plates are made detachable, and by reversing or changing them any name can be displayed in the day and illuminated at night. These plates are held firmly in position. by the arms Q, before referred to.

In the specification and claims hereto ap pended the word headlight when used will be understood as a general name for headlights, dasher-lights, signal-lights,or anylight or lamp used for similar purposes.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a headlight of the headlight E, reflector F, light G, with auxiliary reflectors O and D, adjusting-arms'K, brackets Q, sign-plates A, all substantially as set forth.

2. In a headlight the combination of adjustable reflecting-plates C and D supported by the arms K and brackets Q, with detachable shield N, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

4. A headlight having adjustable auxiliary reflectors and combined with removable signplates placed near the face of the headlight and encircling the same and receiving rays of light diverted from the central direct rays of the headlight.

JOHN A. DUGGAN.

In presence of A. T. EMMONS, WILLIAM C. LORING. 

